Building maintenance system and building maintenance method

Abstract

To provide a building maintenance system and a building maintenance method capable of grasping a positional relationship between an exterior of a building and a mobile body and moving the mobile body with a simple configuration, and setting an area or a work content in which a functional part mounted on the mobile body works.SOLUTION: The maintenance system includes a moving body 10 that moves relative to an exterior 9 of a building 1, a functional unit 11 that is provided in the moving body 10 and performs predetermined work, a marker 20 that is provided in the building 1 in a form that can be detected from the outside of the building 1, a marker detection unit 12 that is provided in the moving body 10 and detects the marker 20, and a control unit (a first control unit 5a and a second control unit 10a).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a building maintenance system and a building maintenance method for maintaining buildings, particularly exterior surfaces such as windows and walls of buildings. [Background technology]

[0002] In buildings and other structures, there is a demand for regular cleaning and maintenance of windows and walls for various purposes, including maintaining the beauty of the exterior, preventing deterioration of building materials due to dirt, mold, moss, etc. to extend the life of the building, preventing accidents such as falling objects by detecting cracks and damage to walls and windows early and repairing them, and maintaining the transmittance of natural light to reduce lighting usage.

[0003] Maintenance of high-rise buildings, in particular, involves working at heights, so ensuring safety is essential. Furthermore, in terms of work efficiency and labor costs, automation and mechanization contribute to reducing the long-term operating costs of buildings. Mechanization is expected to ensure consistent quality in cleaning and other tasks, maintaining the asset value of buildings.

[0004] A known technology for cleaning the exterior of a building is a computer-implemented method for controlling the cleaning of a building facade from an elevator platform of an elevator system, the method comprising: receiving a multidimensional map of at least a portion of at least one facade of a building; determining, according to the multidimensional map, an ordered sequence of instructions comprising robot arm instructions for controlling at least one robot arm of a robot system of the elevator platform and elevator platform instructions for controlling a position of the elevator platform; and transmitting the robot arm instructions for controlling the at least one robot arm of the robot system via the at least one first interface and the elevator platform instructions for controlling the raising and lowering of the elevator platform via a second interface different from the at least one first interface, wherein the robot arm instructions and the elevator platform instructions are intertwined in time to perform a cleaning pattern covering at least a portion of the at least one facade; and dynamically updating the multidimensional map to represent a current configuration of the facade, the updating of the multidimensional map being performed using sensor data obtained from at least one sensor supported on the elevator platform (Patent Document 1).

[0005] According to Patent Document 1, a 3D mapping is established by correlating 3D data obtained from different 3D sensors such as a lidar system or a camera system, and the pre-measured map is dynamically updated using SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology. This dynamically updated map can be used to identify the position of the robot arm and respond to changes in the facade that may be caused by, for example, the opening of a window. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7320173 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 is premised on the use of SLAM technology. SLAM technology requires the creation of a three-dimensional map in advance. Creating a three-dimensional map requires the acquisition of environmental data using sensors such as LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and cameras (stereo cameras or RDGD cameras (depth cameras)), and the extraction of three-dimensional structures using predetermined landmarks. This type of measurement generally requires time and is expensive. Furthermore, SLAM technology associates current sensor data with past data to perform processes such as extracting correspondences between feature points (data association), estimating the current location of a moving object (localization), updating maps (mapping), and correcting errors between the location information of a moving object and a map (loop closing). Performing such processes in real time incurs significant computational costs. Furthermore, with the recent advances in air conditioning technology, fixed windows that are not designed to open or close are often adopted. Therefore, introducing SLAM technology, especially a system that employs dynamic map updates, to such buildings could result in excessive investment.

[0008] The present invention was devised to solve the problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to provide a building maintenance system and building maintenance method that has a simple configuration, is capable of grasping the positional relationship between the exterior of a building and a mobile body, moving the mobile body, and setting the area in which the functional unit mounted on the mobile body will work, or the work content. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention, which has been made to solve the above problems, is a building maintenance system comprising: a mobile body that moves relative to the exterior of a building; a functional unit that is provided on the mobile body and performs predetermined work; markers that are provided on the building in a manner that allows them to be detected from outside the building; a marker detection unit that is provided on the mobile body and detects the markers; and a control unit, wherein the control unit moves the mobile body based on the detection results of the markers by the marker detection unit and performs predetermined maintenance on the exterior of the building using the functional unit. This makes it possible to perform various types of maintenance with a simple and low-cost configuration that simply places markers on the building.

[0010] In addition, the present invention is such that the marker is placed inside the building at a window portion of the building, thereby preventing the marker from being exposed to the external environment and preventing deterioration, and ensuring reliability over a long period of time.

[0011] Furthermore, in the present invention, the control unit acquires position information of the area where the mobile body will next perform maintenance based on the output of the marker detection unit, and moves the mobile body based on the position information. As a result, the direction and distance when the mobile body moves are determined based on the marker corresponding to the area where maintenance was previously performed, and therefore errors do not accumulate, making it possible to reliably move the mobile body to the area where maintenance is next performed.

[0012] Furthermore, in the present invention, the control unit acquires the range in which the maintenance is to be performed by the functional unit or the details of the maintenance to be performed by the functional unit based on the output of the marker detection unit, thereby making it possible to individually determine the details and scope of maintenance for each area in which maintenance is to be performed.

[0013] In addition, in the present invention, the marker has a two-dimensional code that can be detected from outside the building at a window of the building, the marker detection unit is composed of an imaging unit, and the control unit acquires information about the movement of the moving object based on the result of capturing an image of the marker by the imaging unit. This makes it possible to acquire information about the movement of the moving object with a simple configuration such as reading a two-dimensional code placed at a window.

[0014] In addition, in the present invention, the control unit aligns the exterior of the building with the moving object based on the image captured by the imaging unit after the moving object has been moved, thereby eliminating the accumulation of errors even if errors occur in distance or direction when the moving object is moved.

[0015] In addition, in the present invention, the marker further includes a two-dimensional code that can be detected from inside the building, thereby enabling a user to easily obtain information about maintenance for an area corresponding to the two-dimensional code by reading the marker from inside the building, and further to update the information about maintenance for that area.

[0016] In addition, in the present invention, the mobile object includes a first short-range communication unit, a first IC tag is placed inside the building at a window of the building, and the control unit writes information about maintenance of the building to the first IC tag or reads it from the first IC tag. This makes it possible to perform maintenance of the building even in situations where the marker cannot be optically read, and also enables users to easily obtain information about maintenance.

[0017] In addition, the present invention provides a method for detecting a moving object by using a second IC tag, the method comprising: installing the marker in a window of the building so as to be able to communicate with the outside of the building; the marker detection unit is configured with a second short-range communication unit; and the control unit acquires information relating to the movement of the moving object based on the output of the second short-range communication unit. This makes it possible to perform various maintenance tasks with a simple configuration in which an IC tag is placed on the building.

[0018] Furthermore, in the present invention, the second IC tags are plural, and the control unit aligns the exterior of the building with the moving object based on the response states of the plural second IC tags to the electromagnetic waves output from the second short-range communication unit. This makes it possible to eliminate the accumulation of errors even if errors occur in distance or direction when the moving object moves.

[0019] In addition, in the present invention, the control unit writes information related to the maintenance of the building to the second IC tag or reads it from the second IC tag. This makes it possible to carry out maintenance of the building based on the ID information (representative ID information) stored in the second IC tag. Furthermore, users can easily obtain information related to maintenance.

[0020] In addition, in the present invention, the functional unit performs at least one of cleaning the windows of the building, washing the walls, tapping the exterior walls, painting the walls, and inspecting the exterior for damage or dirt, thereby maintaining the beauty of the building.

[0021] The present invention also provides a building maintenance method that includes providing a functional unit that performs predetermined work on a mobile body that moves relative to the exterior of a building, providing markers on the building in a manner that can be detected from outside the building, the markers being placed inside the building at windows of the building, providing a marker detection unit on the mobile body that detects the markers, moving the mobile body based on the detection results of the markers by the marker detection unit, and performing predetermined maintenance on the exterior of the building using the functional unit. This makes it possible to perform various types of maintenance with a simple configuration that involves simply placing markers on the building. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] Thus, according to the present invention, with a simple configuration, it is possible to grasp the positional relationship between the exterior of a building and a moving body, move the moving body, and set the range of the area in which the functional unit mounted on the moving body will perform work, or the work content. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram showing an overview of a building maintenance system S1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a moving body 10. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement of markers 20 in a building 1, an area R where maintenance is performed, etc. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] A flowchart explaining the maintenance process performed by the building maintenance system S1. [Figure 6] A block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a marker 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]A block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] (First embodiment) FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of a building maintenance system S1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The building 1 is, for example, a building. The side of the building 1 is mainly composed of a wall section 2 and a window section 3 (hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as "exterior 9"), and the exterior 9 is the object of maintenance. A rail 6 may be laid on the rooftop 4 of the building 1. A support section 5 is arranged on the rail 6. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the support section 5 is capable of moving around the rooftop 4 along the outer edge of the building 1.

[0025] The support unit 5 is provided with a boom 7 that can be displaced or extended in the vertical direction. A wire 8 is supported at the tip of the boom 7, one end of which is connected to a winch (not shown) provided on the support unit 5, and the other end of which is connected to the mobile unit 10. When the winch is activated, the mobile unit 10 moves in the vertical direction (Y direction shown in FIG. 3, etc.) along the exterior 9 of the building 1. Furthermore, when the support unit 5 moves on the rails 6, the mobile unit 10 moves in the horizontal direction (X direction shown in FIG. 3, etc.) along the exterior 9 of the building 1. Note that the support unit 5 may be temporarily attached (fixed) to the rooftop 4 of the building 1 by hand when performing maintenance, and may be relocated a predetermined distance in the X direction each time a series of maintenance work in the Y direction is completed. Note that a predetermined pipe 15 (see FIG. 3) is provided between the support unit 5 and the mobile unit 10, and water, detergent, electricity, paint, etc. are supplied from the support unit 5 to the mobile unit 10 via the pipe 15. Of course, some of these (for example, a battery or a detergent container) may be provided on the moving object 10.

[0026] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the mobile body 10. Hereinafter, the explanation will be continued using FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2. The mobile body 10 has a so-called gondola shape, and a functional unit 11 is provided in approximately its center. The functional unit 11 is a component that performs predetermined maintenance on the exterior 9 of the building 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the functional unit 11 is composed of a multi-joint robot arm that is supported, for example, on the upper surface of a support base 14 so as to be rotatable within the surface. Various parts may be attached (detached) to the tip of the robot arm depending on the maintenance work content. For example, a wiper as shown in the figure is attached as a part and is used to clean the window 3. Other examples of parts include a camera that photographs the exterior 9 to detect scratches and dirt, a brush and rag for cleaning the wall 2, a tapping rod used in a tapping inspection of the exterior wall, and a spray gun that sprays paint or the like onto the wall 2 (all of which are not shown). In other words, maintenance of the exterior 9 refers to work performed by the functional unit 11, such as cleaning the window 3 using a wiper, cleaning the wall 2 using a brush, tapping on the exterior wall, inspecting the appearance of the exterior 9 based on images captured by the imaging unit 12a, painting the wall 2, etc.

[0027] In this way, the functional unit 11 performs at least one of the following tasks: cleaning the windows 3 of the building 1, washing the walls 2, tapping the exterior walls, painting the walls 2, and inspecting for damage / dirt on the exterior 9. This helps maintain the aesthetic appearance of the building 1. At the tip of the robot arm, a water discharge unit and a detergent discharge unit (neither of which are shown) connected to piping 15 and a controllable on-off valve (not shown) are provided, and water and detergent are supplied depending on the task.

[0028] Note that the imaging unit 12a, which will be described later, may be used as a camera that captures an image of the exterior 9. Furthermore, lighting may be provided on the moving body 10. The lighting irradiates light onto the imaging range of the camera and the imaging unit 12a when maintenance is performed at night.

[0029] When starting maintenance, a selected part may be connected to the robot arm by a user (referring to a person using the building maintenance system S1, such as the manager of the building 1 or a maintenance worker; the same applies below). Alternatively, multiple parts may be mounted on the mobile body 10, and the robot arm may autonomously replace a specific part depending on the maintenance content. Furthermore, the mobile body 10 may be provided with a biasing unit 16. The biasing unit 16 may be formed, for example, by a fan, and by rotating the fan, the mobile body 10 is biased toward the exterior casing 9. In addition, a buffer unit 17 (see FIG. 4 ) formed, for example, by a spring bar may be provided on the side facing the exterior casing 9. A stopper (not shown) made of, for example, rubber with a high friction coefficient or flexible resin is provided at the portion of the buffer unit 17 that abuts against the exterior casing 9. When the mobile body 10 abuts against the exterior casing 9, the stopper prevents the mobile body 10 from being displaced by wind or a reaction force generated when the functional unit 11 operates. Of course, the tip of the buffer portion 17 may be formed in a dome shape, and the inside of the dome may be made negative pressure so that the buffer portion 17 adheres to the exterior casing 9 .

[0030] The mobile body 10 is provided with a marker detection unit 12. The marker detection unit 12 detects markers 20 (see FIG. 3), which will be described later. There are no particular limitations on the location where the marker detection unit 12 is placed, but it may be placed, for example, on the upper edge of the mobile body 10 so as not to interfere with the detection of the markers 20. The mobile body 10 is also provided with a sound collection unit 13. The sound collection unit 13 is used in a percussion inspection of the exterior wall. Sound information acquired by the sound collection unit 13 is sent to the support unit 5 (see FIG. 4) and analyzed. In the percussion inspection of the exterior wall, the robot arm rolls a percussion rod so as to stroke the wall portion 2. In areas where lifting has occurred, a cavity has formed behind the exterior material, and by analyzing the sound acquired by the sound collection unit 13, it is possible to determine whether or not lifting has occurred in the wall portion 2.

[0031] The mobile body 10 may be provided with multiple robot arms, or may be provided with a continuous hammering sound generating unit (not shown) instead of (or in addition to) the robot arms. The sound pressure and frequency components of the hammering sounds differ between areas where a lift has occurred and areas that are normal, so the presence of a lift can be easily determined by analyzing the sound information. The sound collection unit 13 is composed of, for example, a directional microphone to reliably capture the sound generated by the wall 2, and is installed in a location close to the hammering rod, for example, on the support base 14 so as to face the wall 2.

[0032] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the installation state of the marker 20 in the building 1, the area R where maintenance is performed, etc. First, the marker 20 will be described. In the first embodiment, a two-dimensional code is used as the marker 20. As the two-dimensional code, a matrix type two-dimensional code (for example, JIS X0510) composed of multiple white / black cells can be suitably used. Of course, a barcode or the like can also be used as the two-dimensional code.

[0033] For example, one marker 20 is placed at each corner (four corners) of each window 3. As will be described later, the markers 20 only need to be placed at the window 3, and there are no particular limitations on the placement position at each window 3. One of the markers 20 is designated as an origin marker 20x, and the origin marker 20x is provided on the wall 2 (exterior 9) near the rooftop 4 (i.e., near the initial position of the moving body 10 at the time maintenance is started), for example.

[0034] The marker 20 is made of, for example, a resin sheet material, and a two-dimensional code is printed on the sheet material. A transparent adhesive is applied to the surface on which the two-dimensional code is printed (the surface that can be detected from outside the building 1; hereinafter, this surface may be referred to as the "main surface"), and the user places (affixes) the marker 20 on the inside (indoor side) of the window 3 of the building 1 in advance. This allows the marker 20 to be installed in the window 3 of the building 1, and the two-dimensional code to be visible (detectable) from the outside. In this way, in the first embodiment, the marker 20 is installed inside the building 1. This prevents the marker 20 from being exposed to the external environment and prevents deterioration, making it possible to ensure reliability over the long term.

[0035] An ultraviolet ray cut filter, an anti-reflection filter, or the like may be superimposed on the main surface, the sheet material may be sealed with glass, or the marker 20 may be made of ceramic and a two-dimensional code may be engraved on it. The two-dimensional code may also be printed on the glass that forms the window portion 3. These measures will prevent deterioration of the marker 20. As for the origin marker 20x, since it is installed outside the building 1, it is preferable to take the above-mentioned measures to prevent deterioration. The origin marker 20x is adhered to the wall portion 2 with a highly weather-resistant adhesive or fixed with a locking member such as a bolt.

[0036] Except for the origin marker 20x, the two-dimensional codes attached to the markers 20 are preferably detectable from inside the building 1. This allows a user to easily obtain information about maintenance for the area R corresponding to the two-dimensional code by reading the marker 20 from inside the building and to update the maintenance information for the area R (details will be described later). If the marker 20 is made of an opaque material, a code that is a left-right inversion (front-back inversion) of the code attached to the main surface of the marker 20 is attached to the back surface of the marker 20. On the other hand, if the marker 20 is made of a transparent material, the two-dimensional code only needs to be printed on the main surface of the marker 20. If the marker 20 is pre-printed on the window 3, the printing needs to be on one surface of the glass (the surface facing the interior). That is, in this embodiment, the marker 20 is made of a transparent material or is printed on the window 3, and a two-dimensional code is recorded on the marker 20. The two-dimensional code attached to the window 3 is detectable from both the outside and the inside of the building 1. Note that the ability to read left-right inverted two-dimensional codes can be added as an optional function to the above-mentioned JIS X0510, for example.

[0037] The markers 20 (here, two-dimensional codes) contain unique identification information (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID information") corresponding to each window section 3 (each region R). The ID information corresponding to each marker 20 is stored in a maintenance database, which will be described later. The markers 20 are detected by a marker detection unit 12 provided on the moving body 10, and based on this detection result, the drive unit 5d of the support unit 5 is driven, causing the moving body 10 suspended on the support unit 5 to move along the exterior 9 of the building 1. Then, various maintenance operations are performed on the exterior 9 by a function unit 11 provided on the moving body 10.

[0038] Here, if the window portion 3 is an element of a matrix arranged on the XY plane, each element is as follows: matrix[window3]= [Window 3(1,1), Window 3(1,2), , Window 3(1,n), Window 3(2,1), Window 3(2,2), , Window 3(2,n), : : Window section 3(m,1), Window section 3(m,2), , Window section 3(m,n)] It is expressed as:

[0039] Similarly, for the wall portion 2, matrix [wall 2]= [Wall 2(1,1),Wall 2(1,2),...,Wall 2(1,n), Wall 2(2,1), Wall 2(2,2), Wall 2(2,n), : : Wall 2(m,1), Wall 2(m,2),..., Wall 2(m,n)] It is expressed as:

[0040] Furthermore, the markers 20 arranged in each window portion 3 are matrix[marker20]= [Marker 20(1,1), Marker 20(1,2),..., Marker 20(1,n), Marker 20(2,1), Marker 20(2,2),..., Marker 20(2,n), : : marker20(m,1), marker20(m,2),..., marker20(m,n)] It is expressed as: The size (length in the X and Y directions) of the area where the two-dimensional code is recorded in each marker 20 is the same, and the recording area is, for example, 100 mm x 100 mm. The installation position of the marker 20 in each window 3 is arbitrary, and it may be placed, for example, in approximately the center of the window 3.

[0041] Furthermore, a maintenance area (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "area R") corresponding to each marker 20 is defined on the exterior 9, and the area R is also defined as follows: matrix [region R]= [Region R(1,1),Region R(1,2),...,Region R(1,n), Region R(2,1),Region R(2,2),...,Region R(2,n), : : Area R(m,1), Area R(m,2),..., Area R(m,n)] It is expressed as: Here, in each matrix [window 3], [wall 2], [marker 20], [region R], n represents the number of window 3, wall 2, marker 20, and region R in the X direction, and m represents the number in the Y direction. In the following description, i is an integer satisfying 1≦i≦m, and j is an integer satisfying 1≦j≦n.

[0042] A first IC tag 21 may be provided near each marker 20. The first IC tag 21 is a tag (RF tag) that complies with a wireless communication standard (RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication standard) such as the ISO / IEC 18000 series, and is preferably a passive type that does not have an internal power source and operates using electromagnetic waves emitted by a reader / writer or the like as a power source. Of course, an active type that is equipped with a power source may also be used as the first IC tag 21. In this way, the first IC tag 21 is associated one-to-one with each region R, and may be placed in the window portion 3 (inside) independently of the marker 20, or may be provided on a sheet material or the like that constitutes the marker 20.

[0043] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The configuration, functions, and operations of the building maintenance system S1 will be explained below using Figure 4 in conjunction with Figure 3. The building maintenance system S1 is mainly composed of markers 20 attached to each window section 3, a support section 5, a mobile object 10, a server 30, and an information terminal 45.

[0044] The support unit 5 is made up of a first control unit 5a, a communication unit 5b, a drive unit 5d, and a fourth short-range communication unit 5e. The first control unit 5a is made up of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and operates according to a control program stored in a storage unit made up of a ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The first control unit 5a and the other components are connected by a bus or the like, and the first control unit 5a controls the other components via the bus or the like.

[0045] The communication unit 5b includes a communication module (not shown) that complies with a wireless communication standard such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-M (Long Term Evolution-Machine), 4G, or 5G, and the support unit 5 is connected to the network 50 via the communication unit 5b. Of course, the communication module may be one that complies with the WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) standard, and the communication unit 5b may be connected to the network 50 via a wireless router or the like provided in the building 1.

[0046] The drive unit 5d includes a first drive unit 5d_1 that moves the support unit 5 on rails 6 laid on the rooftop 4 of the building 1 (i.e., moves it in the X direction) and a second drive unit 5d_2 that moves the mobile object 10 in the Y direction by reeling in or out the wire 8. The first drive unit 5d_1 and the second drive unit 5d_2 are equipped with drive sources such as motors or internal combustion engines. The first control unit 5a controls the first drive unit 5d_1 and the second drive unit 5d_2 based on the output of a position detection unit (not shown), such as an encoder, installed on the rotation axis of each drive source, to move the mobile object 10 to a predetermined position at a predetermined speed in the X and Y directions. The first control unit 5a also acquires position information of the mobile object 10 by referring to the output of the position detection unit. The fourth short-range communication unit 5e is configured as a communication module compliant with a short-range wireless standard, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or BLE, and transmits and receives predetermined data to and from the mobile object 10.

[0047] The configuration of the mobile object 10 will be described below. The mobile object 10 is composed of a second control unit 10a, a function unit 11, a marker detection unit 12, a sound collection unit 13, a third short-range communication unit 10d, a first short-range communication unit 10b, and an energization unit 16. The second control unit 10a is composed of a processor such as a CPU, and operates according to a control program stored in a storage unit composed of a ROM, RAM, etc. The second control unit 10a and the other components are connected by a bus or the like, and the second control unit 10a controls the other components via the bus or the like.

[0048] The function unit 11 operates based on control commands output by the second control unit 10a, and performs predetermined maintenance on the exterior 9 of the building 1 as described above. The marker detection unit 12 includes an imaging unit 12a configured with a camera or the like. The imaging unit 12a captures images of the exterior 9 of the building 1, and the captured images are input to the second control unit 10a. The sound collection unit 13 is used in the percussion inspection of the exterior wall as described above. The sound information acquired by the sound collection unit 13 is converted into digital data and input to the second control unit 10a.

[0049] The third short-range communication unit 10d is configured with a communication module that complies with the short-range wireless standard, similar to the fourth short-range communication unit 5e, and transmits and receives predetermined data to and from the support unit 5 (fourth short-range communication unit 5e). Examples of the predetermined data that may be transmitted from the mobile object 10 to the support unit 5 include an image captured by the imaging unit 12a, sound information recorded by the sound collection unit 13, output from the motion detection sensor 10e (described later), and a notification that maintenance has been completed in one area R. Examples of data that may be transmitted from the support unit 5 to the mobile object 10 include a work start instruction to start maintenance.

[0050] Here, the second control unit 10a of the moving body 10 transmits the image captured by the imaging unit 12a to the support unit 5. The first control unit 5a detects the markers 20 installed at the windows 3 of the building 1 from the image and decodes the two-dimensional code recorded on the markers 20. The first control unit 5a also detects dirt and damage such as cracks on the exterior 9 based on the image. In detecting dirt and damage, machine learning is preferably used, in which a learning model is constructed in advance using images of dirt, etc. and normal images, and judgments are made using the learning model.

[0051] Furthermore, the sound information acquired by the sound collection unit 13 is transmitted to the support unit 5. Then, the first control unit 5a analyzes the sound information to determine whether or not there is any lifting in the wall unit 2. For this determination as well, a learning model is constructed in advance using sound information when there is any lifting in the wall unit 2 and sound information in a normal state, and the presence or absence of an abnormality can be determined using the learning model.

[0052] The first short-range communication unit 10b includes a communication module that complies with the RFID communication standard and functions as a so-called RFID reader / writer. As described above, a first IC tag 21 is provided inside the building 1. Information corresponding to ID information based on a two-dimensional code (which does not need to be the same as ID information obtained by decoding the two-dimensional code) is recorded in the first IC tag 21. Identification information corresponding to each first IC tag 21 is also stored in a maintenance database, which will be described later.

[0053] For example, when snow or rainwater adheres to the lens surface of the imaging unit 12a and the marker 20 cannot be properly read from the image captured by the imaging unit 12a, or when a notification is received from the support unit 5 that the two-dimensional code cannot be decoded, the second control unit 10a reads information corresponding to the ID information from the first IC tag 21 via the first short-range communication unit 10b. Of course, a read / write type may be adopted as the first IC tag 21, and the second control unit 10a may write the results of a tapping survey of the exterior wall and the results of a damage / stain inspection on the exterior casing 9. In this case, a user can read the first IC tag 21 indoors using, for example, a handheld RFID reader to obtain the results of the survey or inspection.

[0054] As described above, in the first embodiment, the mobile object 10 includes the first short-range communication unit 10b, the first IC tag 21 is placed inside the building 1 at the window 3 of the building 1, and the control unit (here, the second control unit 10a) writes information related to maintenance of the building 1 to the first IC tag 21 or reads it from the first IC tag 21. This makes it possible to perform maintenance of the building 1 even in a situation where the marker 20 cannot be optically read, and furthermore, enables the user to easily obtain information related to maintenance.

[0055] The information terminal 45 is, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, or a PC (Personal Computer), and is equipped with a user interface such as an input unit and a display unit (not shown), a control unit, a memory unit, a camera, etc. (none of which are shown). A user takes a picture of the marker 20 inside the building 1 using, for example, the camera of the information terminal 45. This allows the user to easily obtain information related to maintenance.

[0056] The server 30 is a known computer system that functions as a management unit, and is composed of a server control unit 30a, a server storage unit 30b, and a server communication unit 30c. The server control unit 30a has a calculation unit composed of a CPU or the like (not shown), and a storage unit composed of ROM, RAM, etc., and controls each component of the server 30. The server storage unit 30b has a large-capacity storage composed of RAID (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks) or the like, in addition to ROM and RAM.

[0057] The server communication unit 30c transmits and receives predetermined data to and from the support unit 5 and the information terminal 45 via the network 50 using a known protocol such as TCP / IP. A maintenance database (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "maintenance DB") is constructed in the server storage unit 30b. The maintenance DB has tables corresponding to the above-mentioned marker 20, window 3, region R, and wall 2 (see FIG. 3), and each table has a field corresponding to each (i, j). The primary key for search is ID information. The maintenance DB also has a field corresponding to the origin marker 20x. In the following description, the marker 20(i, j) may be referred to as the marker field, the window 3(i, j) as the window field, the region R(i, j) as the region field, and the wall 2(i, j) as the wall field.

[0058] The fields corresponding to the origin marker 20x and the information (records) stored in the fields (i, j) of each table are as follows: (1) Field corresponding to origin marker 20x ID information ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed first (usually, ID information of the marker (1,1)) Relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed first (usually, relative position information of the marker (1,1)) (2) Marker Field ID information ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed next (ID information of the origin marker 20x for the region R where maintenance is to be performed last) Relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the area R where maintenance is to be performed next (information about the initial position of the moving body 10 for the area R where maintenance is to be performed last)

[0059] (3) Window Field ID information Range of the window 3 (range in the X and Y directions (including the - direction) based on the marker 20 corresponding to the area R to be maintained) - Window work flag indicating the type of maintenance (e.g., cleaning with a wiper) - Window damage flag indicating whether there is damage or dirt If there is damage or dirt, relative position information of the damage or dirt in the X and Y directions with the marker 20 as the reference (hereinafter, this may be referred to as window damage position information. There may be multiple pieces of window damage position information).

[0060] (4) Area field ID information Range of region R (range in the X and Y directions (including the - direction) based on the marker 20 corresponding to the region R that is the maintenance target)

[0061] (5) Wall Field ID information The range of the wall 2 (the range of the region R(i,j) excluding the range of the window (i,j). Expressed by a polygon as described later.) Wall work flag indicating the maintenance content (e.g., cleaning wall 2 with a brush, tapping inspection of the exterior wall) Wall damage flag indicating whether there is damage or dirt In the case of damage or dirt, relative position information of the damage or dirt in the X and Y directions with respect to the marker 20 (hereinafter, this may be referred to as position information of wall damage, etc.; there may be multiple pieces of position information of wall damage, etc.)

[0062] Here, the relative position information indicates distance in the X and Y directions, and is expressed in units of millimeters (mm), for example. The window field and wall field may contain additional flags, such as a work amount flag that specifies the amount of work (work time), and a flag that specifies the amount of water to be supplied during cleaning and the detergent to be used. Thus, each field is made up of multidimensional vector information.

[0063] 3 and 4, the process of acquiring ID information from the markers 20 (including the origin marker 20x) and measuring relative position information between the markers 20 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "relative position measurement process"). The relative position measurement process is executed before using the building maintenance system S1. The relative positions of the origin marker 20x and adjacent markers 20 in the X or Y direction, or of each marker 20 itself, are acquired in advance by photographing the exterior 9 of the building 1 with a camera equipped with a telephoto lens or a camera mounted on a drone or the like. These devices transmit the photographed images to the server 30 via the network 50.

[0064] For example, when using a drone, the user first brings the drone close to the origin marker 20x and reads the two-dimensional code with a camera. Next, the user moves the drone away from the exterior 9 so that both the origin marker 20x and the adjacent marker 20 (here, marker 20(1,1)) are included in the image, and an image capturing both the origin marker 20x and the marker 20(1,1) is acquired. If the size of the marker 20 is known, the relative position between the origin marker 20x and the marker 20(1,1) can be measured by counting the number of pixels in the acquired image, i.e., the distance in the X and Y directions of the marker 20(1,1) relative to the origin marker 20x (i.e., relative position information). It is recommended to measure the relative position information using a predetermined portion (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "marker reference portion"), such as the center of the marker 20.

[0065] Next, the user brings the camera close to marker 20(1,1) and photographs the two-dimensional code of marker 20(1,1). Then, the user photographs both marker 20(1,1) and marker 20(1,2). After completing the photographing of the row consisting of markers 20(1,1) to 20(1,n), the user moves the drone away from the exterior 9 so that both origin marker 20x and marker 20(2,1) are within the field of view, and acquires an image of origin marker 20x and marker 20(2,1). After that, the user similarly photographs the row consisting of markers 20(2,1) to marker 20(2,n), and repeats this process until the row including marker 20(m,n) is completed. The photographed image data is sent to the server 30. The server control unit 30a decodes the two-dimensional code of the marker 20 to acquire ID information. Furthermore, relative position information between the origin marker 20x and the marker 20(1,1) and between adjacent markers 20 is calculated.

[0066] A map (two-dimensional map) of the exterior 9 is constructed using this information. To construct the two-dimensional map, the server control unit 30a extracts the region R(i,j), the window 3(i,j), and the wall 2(i,j) from the image and calculates the range of each region R(i,j), the window 3(i,j), and the wall 2(i,j) in the X and Y directions by referring to the known size of the marker 20. The range of the wall 2(i,j) is represented as a polygon using multiple (e.g., six) vertex coordinates. In this way, the server control unit 30a constructs a two-dimensional map of the exterior 9 of the building 1 associated with the ID information. Note that the user may also obtain identification information by reading the first IC tag 21 with a reader (not shown). Of course, reading by the reader can be performed indoors. This identification information is transmitted from the reader to the server 30 (possibly via the information terminal 45), and the server control unit 30a writes it to the maintenance DB as part of the ID information.

[0067] If all of the window portions 3(i,j) (wall portions (i,j)) have the same shape and are arranged at the same pitch in the X and Y directions, and if the two-dimensional code attached to each marker 20 is known, the relative position measurement process can be omitted except for the process of determining the relative position between the origin marker 20x and marker 20(1,1). Furthermore, if the ID information and the relative positional relationship between the origin marker 20x and the other markers 20 are known, all of the relative position measurement processes can be omitted. Even in this case, a two-dimensional map is constructed based on known information.

[0068] The user sets the order in which maintenance will be performed for each region R(i,j) using predetermined application software installed on the information terminal 45. The default order is region R(1,1), region R(2,1),..., region R(m,1), region R(1,2), region R(2,2),..., region R(m,2),..., region R(m,n). That is, in the default setting, the mobile object 10 performs predetermined maintenance from top to bottom along one row of region R, and then moves to the adjacent row and performs maintenance there. Information regarding this maintenance order is transmitted from the information terminal 45 to the server 30. The server control unit 30a stores "ID information," "ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R for which maintenance will be performed next," and "relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R for which maintenance will be performed next" in the marker field.

[0069] The server control unit 30a refers to the two-dimensional map constructed based on the image obtained in the relative position measurement step, and extracts the range of each window 3, the range of each wall 2, and the range of each region R. The range of each window 3, the range of each wall 2, and the range of each region R are then stored in the window field, wall field, and region field, along with ID information. Information about each of these fields is transmitted from the server 30 to the information terminal 45.

[0070] Furthermore, the user operates the information terminal 45 to specify a window work flag and a wall work flag (hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between these, they may be referred to as "work flags") to indicate the content of maintenance for each window 3 and each wall 2. If the user sets "do not perform work", the work flag is set to NULL. The work flag is sent from the information terminal 45 to the server 30. The server control unit 30a stores the received window work flag in the window field and the wall work flag in the wall field. Note that multiple work flags may be written in one window field or one wall field, for example. Specifically, for example, cleaning and visual inspection of the wall 2 may be specified in one wall field.

[0071] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the process of maintenance performed by the building maintenance system S1. The following description will be made with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The mobile object 10 is positioned in a predetermined initial position. An image captured by the imaging unit 12a of the mobile object 10 is transmitted from the mobile object 10 to the support unit 5 and then to the information terminal 45 via the network 50. The user issues a command from the information terminal 45 to the first control unit 5a to move the mobile object 10 so that the origin marker 20x is included in the imaging range of the marker detection unit 12 (imaging unit 12a). That is, the user manipulates the position of the mobile object 10 to roughly align the marker detection unit 12 and the origin marker 20x visually. When the user then issues a command to start maintenance, the first control unit 5a references the image received from the mobile object 10 and controls the position of the mobile object 10 (aligns it) so that the marker reference portion of the origin marker 20x (two-dimensional code) is positioned at the center of the image. The first control unit 5a treats the position of the moving object 10 in this state as the first reference position. Note that the relationship between the captured image of the marker 20 and the marker reference portion may be determined as appropriate, as long as the marker reference portion is positioned at a specific portion of the image.

[0072] The second control unit 10a of the moving object 10 sequentially transmits the output of the marker detection unit 12, i.e., the images captured by the imaging unit 12a, to the support unit 5 (these may be moving images or still images captured at a predetermined interval). The first control unit 5a decodes the two-dimensional code included in the captured image of the origin marker 20x to obtain ID information (ST01). Note that the user may move the moving object 10 and first capture, for example, the marker 20(1,1). In this embodiment, the origin marker 20x need not be provided, and the processing of ST01 may be omitted.

[0073] The first control unit 5a transmits the ID information of the origin marker 20x to the server 30. The server control unit 30a searches the maintenance DB using the received ID information. Then, from the field corresponding to the origin marker 20x, it obtains "ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed first (here, for example, region R(1,1))" and "relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed first." This information is transmitted to the support unit 5.

[0074] The first control unit 5a moves the mobile object 10 to the region R where maintenance is to be performed based on the received "relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed first" (ST02). As described above, the relative position information is information regarding distances in the X and Y directions, and the first control unit 5a drives the drive unit 5d to move the mobile object 10 by a distance corresponding to the relative position information (coarse adjustment). Here, if the marker 20 is not included in the image acquired by the imaging unit 12a, the first control unit 5a may move the mobile object 10 within a predetermined range until the marker 20 is detected. In addition, a predetermined error code may be transmitted to the information terminal 45.

[0075] If the image includes a marker 20, the first control unit 5a preferably refers to the image captured by the imaging unit 12a and adjusts (fine-tunes) the position of the mobile object 10 so that the marker reference portion is at a predetermined position, such as the center of the image. The position of the mobile object 10 when the marker reference portion is at the predetermined position in the image becomes the reference position when performing maintenance. Once the fine-tuning is complete, the first control unit 5a refers to the image received from the mobile object 10, reads the marker 20 (two-dimensional code) corresponding to the area R where maintenance is to be performed, and decodes it to obtain ID information corresponding to the target area R (ST03).

[0076] The moving object 10 may also include a motion detection unit (not shown). The motion detection unit may be configured, for example, with a triaxial acceleration sensor and / or a gyro sensor. The triaxial acceleration sensor outputs the direction and degree of change in speed of the moving object 10 (acceleration) for three axes, i.e., x, y, and z. The gyro sensor outputs the direction and speed of rotation of the moving object 10 (angular velocity) for three axes, i.e., x, y, and z. Generally, the gyro sensor detects the direction of movement, and the acceleration sensor detects the distance of movement. The second control unit 10a may correct the reference position described above based on the output of the motion detection unit. This makes it possible to accurately determine the reference position during the fine adjustment described above, even if the moving object 10 is swaying due to wind or the like.

[0077] Next, the first control unit 5a transmits the acquired ID information to the server 30. The server control unit 30a searches the maintenance DB using the ID information, extracts information on the fields associated with the ID information, i.e., the ranges of the window 3(i,j), the wall 2(i,j), and the region R(i,j), and the work flags for the window 3 and the wall 2, and transmits this as maintenance information to the first control unit 5a. Furthermore, the first control unit 5a transmits the maintenance information to the mobile object 10. As a result, the second control unit 10a of the mobile object 10 obtains the content of the maintenance and the range in which the maintenance will be performed based on the ID information (ST04).

[0078] As described above, in the first embodiment, the control units (first control unit 5a, second control unit 10a, server control unit 30a) acquire the range in which maintenance is to be performed by the functional unit 11 or the details of the maintenance to be performed by the functional unit 11 based on the output of the marker detection unit 12 (imaging unit 12a). This makes it possible to individually determine the details and range of maintenance for each area R in which maintenance is to be performed.

[0079] The user can edit the contents of the maintenance DB by operating the information terminal 45. That is, the user reads the marker 20 from inside the room using a camera mounted on the information terminal 45 and edits the contents of the maintenance DB using the value obtained by decoding the two-dimensional code. Specifically, the user can change the work flags for the window 3(i,j), wall 2(i,j), and region R(i,j) shown in FIG. 3 , as well as for the window 3 and wall 2, and perform maintenance using the changed content. Here, while SLAM technology provides the user with a 2D or 3D image of the exterior 9, each window 3 generally has no individuality. Therefore, when there are a large number of windows 3, it is extremely difficult to instruct specific maintenance for a specific window 3. On the other hand, in the first embodiment, the user visually inspects the windows 3 from inside the room, and when he or she finds a heavily soiled window 3, he or she can read the marker 20 with the information terminal 45 and easily instruct the maintenance content (such as the above-mentioned work amount flag) for the specific window 3.

[0080] Next, the first control unit 5a outputs an instruction to start work to the moving body 10 (second control unit 10a) (ST05). The second control unit 10a, which has received the instruction to start work, starts the operation of the biasing unit 16 (ST06). As a result, the moving body 10 is biased toward the exterior 9, and the buffer unit 17 abuts against the exterior 9, preventing the moving body 10 from being displaced relative to the exterior 9.

[0081] Next, the second control unit 10a performs maintenance using the functional unit 11 in the specified range of the window 3(i,j) and wall 2(i,j) (ST07). The maintenance is performed in a range relative to the reference position described above. Therefore, even if the sizes and shapes of the window 3(i,j) and wall 2(i,j) in the exterior 9 are different, or even if the positions at which the markers 20 are placed in each window 3 are different, maintenance can be performed reliably.

[0082] The contents of the work flag are referenced during maintenance. For example, if the window work flag indicates "cleaning using a wiper," the function unit 11 cleans the area specified in the "range of the window 3" using a wiper. However, if the wall work flag is NULL, maintenance on the wall 2 is not performed. Note that if the range of the window 3 or the range of the wall 2 where maintenance should be performed is larger than the movable range of the parts engaged with the robot arm, the first control unit 5a controls the drive unit 5d to move the moving body 10 in the X and Y directions as appropriate, thereby expanding the range where maintenance is performed.

[0083] As described above, the work flag can specify multiple work contents, and for example, if a visual inspection is specified along with cleaning, an image is taken by the imaging unit 12a or a camera (not shown), and the taken image is analyzed by the first control unit 5a to determine the presence or absence of scratches or dirt. If the visual inspection determines that there are scratches or dirt, the first control unit 5a transmits this information and relative position information of the position where the scratches or dirt were found with respect to a reference position to the server 30, and the server control unit 30a turns on the window damage etc. flag in the window field and further stores position information of the position where the damage or dirt was found, i.e., window damage etc. position information, in the window field.

[0084] Furthermore, when dirt on the window 3 cannot be removed even by cleaning, the first control unit 5a may similarly send to the server 30 a notice that dirt has been found and information on the relative position of the dirt with respect to a reference position. Then, the next time maintenance is performed on the same window 3, the window damage flag may be referenced and the amount of work (work time) may be increased.

[0085] Maintenance is also performed on the wall 2(i,j) in the same manner as for the window 3(i,j) described above. Then, depending on the results of the appearance inspection, a wall damage flag and window damage position information are stored in the wall field. Here, if the wall work flag specifies, for example, cleaning of the wall 2 and a tapping inspection of the exterior wall, the function unit 11 may perform multiple tasks simultaneously in parallel. In this case, cleaning of the wall 2 is performed using a robot arm, and in parallel with this, a tapping inspection of the exterior wall is performed using the continuous tapping sound generator and the sound collector 13. Of course, multiple types of maintenance may be performed in chronological order (individually). The results of the exterior wall tapping inspection are also stored in the wall field as a wall damage flag and window damage position information.

[0086] With this configuration, the user can read the marker 20 from inside the room using a camera mounted on the information terminal 45 and use the decoded value of the two-dimensional code to make an inquiry to the server 30. This allows the user to obtain information such as the presence or absence of damage or dirt in the area R (wall 2, window 3) corresponding to the marker 20, or the results of a tapping survey of the exterior wall. Furthermore, the user can ascertain relative position information from the marker 20 (i.e., the reference position) for, for example, the position where damage was detected or the position where lifting was detected in the tapping survey of the exterior wall. Note that, instead of reading the marker 20, the user can obtain identification information from the first IC tag 21 and send this identification information to the server 30 to obtain the same results.

[0087] As described above, the building maintenance system S1 of the first embodiment includes a mobile object 10 that moves relative to the exterior 9 of the building 1, a functional unit 11 that is provided on the mobile object 10 and performs predetermined tasks, a marker 20 that is provided on the building 1 in a manner that allows it to be detected from outside the building 1, a marker detection unit 12 that is provided on the mobile object 10 and detects the marker 20, and a control unit (first control unit 5a, second control unit 10a, server control unit 30a). The control unit moves the mobile object 10 based on the detection result of the marker 20 by the marker detection unit 12, and performs predetermined maintenance on the exterior 9 of the building 1 using the functional unit 11. More specifically, the control unit moves the mobile object 10 to the next area R where maintenance is to be performed based on the detection result of the marker 20 associated with the area R where maintenance is currently being performed. This makes it possible to perform various types of maintenance using a simple and low-cost configuration that simply places markers 20 on the building 1.

[0088] Next, the second control unit 10a of the moving body 10 determines whether the work in the area R where maintenance is to be performed has been completed (ST08). For example, in the case of cleaning the window unit 3, whether the work has been completed is determined by whether the functional unit 11 (here, the robot arm) has completed the work for the entire "range of the window unit 3." In the case of a tapping inspection of an exterior wall, whether the inspection with a tapping rod has been completed for the entire "range of the wall unit 2." If the work has not been completed (No in ST08), the processing of ST08 is repeated until the work is completed.

[0089] If the work is completed (Yes in ST08), the second control unit 10a stops the operation of the biasing unit 16 (ST09). This releases the movable body 10 from being fixed to the exterior 9, making it movable. Thereafter, the second control unit 10a notifies the support unit 5 that the maintenance of the targeted area R has been completed (ST10).

[0090] Upon receiving the notification that maintenance has been completed, the first control unit 5a determines whether maintenance has been completed for all areas R (ST11). In this determination, the first control unit 5a transmits the ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the area R that is the target of maintenance to the server 30. Then, if the "ID information of the marker 20 corresponding to the area R where maintenance will be performed next" included in the maintenance information returned from the server control unit 30a matches the ID information of the origin marker 20x, it determines that maintenance has been completed for all areas R.

[0091] When maintenance is completed for all regions R (Yes in ST11), the first control unit 5a controls the drive unit 5d to return the movable body 10 to its initial position (ST12). If there are any regions R for which maintenance has not been completed (No in ST11), the first control unit 5a moves the movable body 10 to the region R for which maintenance is to be performed (ST02) in accordance with the "relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R for which maintenance is to be performed next" included in the maintenance information. The first control unit 5a then sets the position of the movable body 10 after the movement to the next reference position. It is preferable to perform the above-mentioned positioning (fine adjustment) after the movement, and when fine adjustment is performed, the position of the movable body 10 after the fine adjustment is set to the reference position.

[0092] As described above, in the first embodiment, the control unit (first control unit 5a, server control unit 30a) acquires position information (relative position information) of the area R where the mobile object 10 will next perform maintenance based on the output of the marker detection unit 12, and moves the mobile object 10 based on this position information. As a result, the direction and distance when the mobile object 10 moves are determined based on the marker 20 corresponding to the area R where maintenance was performed immediately before, and therefore, no accumulation of errors occurs, and it is possible to reliably move the mobile object 10 to the area R where maintenance will next be performed.

[0093] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the marker 20 has a two-dimensional code that can be detected from outside the building 1 at the window 3 of the building 1, the marker detection unit 12 is composed of an imaging unit 12a, and the control unit (first control unit 5a) acquires information about the movement of the moving object 10 based on the result of capturing an image of the marker 20 by the imaging unit 12a. This makes it possible to acquire information about the movement of the moving object 10 with a simple configuration such as reading a two-dimensional code placed on the window 3 (inside).

[0094] Furthermore, after moving the moving object 10, the control units (first control unit 5a, second control unit 10a) align the exterior 9 of the building 1 with the moving object 10 based on the image captured by the imaging unit 12a. This makes it possible to eliminate the accumulation of errors even if errors occur in the distance or direction when moving the moving object 10.

[0095] (Second embodiment) 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As described above, in the first embodiment, the two-dimensional code attached to the marker 20 is detected by the marker detection unit 12 (imaging unit 12a), and the building 1 and the moving object 10 are aligned. The second embodiment is different in that the alignment is performed using an IC tag (second IC tag 22).

[0096] As shown in the figure, the marker detection unit 12 includes a second short-range communication unit 12b. A marker 20 is placed inside (inside) a window 3 of the building 1, and a second IC tag 22 is attached to the marker 20. The second IC tag 22 is a tag (RF tag) that complies with the RFID communication standard and may be either a passive type or an active type. ID information is stored in advance in the second IC tag 22. The second short-range communication unit 12b includes a communication module that complies with the RFID communication standard and functions as a so-called RFID reader / writer. The second short-range communication unit 12b can acquire ID information from the second IC tag 22 and write at least a portion of information related to maintenance to the second IC tag 22.

[0097] Inside the building 1, the user brings a predetermined RFID reader / writer (fifth short-range communication unit 47) close to the second IC tag 22 to read the ID information stored in the second IC tag 22. The ID information is transmitted from the fifth short-range communication unit 47 to the information terminal 45 via the network 50, and the information terminal 45 obtains information relating to various maintenance tasks from the server 30 using the ID information.

[0098] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a marker 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the description will be continued with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6. The marker 20 is made of a sheet material or the like, similar to the first embodiment, and has a size of, for example, approximately 100 mm in both the X and Y directions. The marker 20 is colored, for example, black and attached to the interior side of the building 1. The marker 20 is detectable from the outside through the window 3. A plurality of second IC tags 22 are arranged on the marker 20. Here, 3 × 3 = 9 tags (second IC tags 22a to 22i) are arranged in the X and Y directions. Each of the plurality of second IC tags 22 stores different ID information. The user writes ID information to each second IC tag 22 by bringing the fifth short-range communication unit 47 close to the second IC tag 22, and then places the second IC tag 22 with the written ID information on the marker 20.

[0099] At this time, the position of the second IC tag 22 placed on the marker 20 is associated with the ID information. Then, the user attaches the marker 20, on which multiple second IC tags 22 are placed, to the window 3 (see FIG. 3). The ID information stored in each second IC tag 22 is associated with each other, and ID information representing these multiple ID information (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "representative ID information") is defined. When the marker detection unit 12 detects any one of the multiple ID information, the second control unit 10a of the moving object 10 transmits the representative ID information to the support unit 5. In other words, the representative ID information is handled in the same way as the ID information (information obtained by decoding the two-dimensional code) described in the first embodiment.

[0100] In the second embodiment, the relative position measurement process described in the first embodiment is also performed to construct a two-dimensional map of the exterior 9. However, in the second embodiment, measurements are not performed on the origin marker 20x (see FIG. 3). Furthermore, the ID information corresponding to each marker 20 is acquired in advance by the user from inside the building 1 using the fifth short-range communication unit 47. The representative ID information is then associated in advance with the two-dimensional map. The manner of maintenance performed by acquiring the representative ID information is basically the same as in the first embodiment.

[0101] In this way, in the building maintenance system S1 of the second embodiment, the marker 20 is configured with the second IC tag 22, the marker 20 is provided in the window 3 of the building 1 so as to be able to communicate with the outside of the building 1, the marker detection unit 12 is configured with the second short-range communication unit 12b, and the control unit (first control unit 5a, second control unit 10a, server control unit 30a) acquires information regarding the movement of the moving object based on the output of the second short-range communication unit 12b. This makes it possible to perform various types of maintenance with a simple configuration in which an IC tag is placed on the building 1.

[0102] Hereinafter, a process in the second embodiment will be described in which the positions of the marker 20 and the mobile body 10 are adjusted (fine-tuned) to align the mobile body 10 with a reference position when performing maintenance. In the second embodiment, the position of the building 1 and the mobile body 10 is aligned based on ID information output by a plurality of second IC tags 22 attached to the marker 20.

[0103] As in the first embodiment, the first control unit 5a moves the mobile object 10 to the region R where maintenance is to be performed based on the “relative position information of the marker 20 corresponding to the region R where maintenance is to be performed next” received from the server 30. When the movement of the mobile object 10 is completed, the second short-range communication unit 12b irradiates electromagnetic waves toward the marker 20 (plurality of second IC tags 22) and obtains ID information output from each second IC tag 22.

[0104] At this time, if ID information is obtained from all of the second IC tags 22 (22a to 22i) shown in FIG. 7, the second control unit 10a instructs the marker detection unit 12 to reduce the intensity of the electromagnetic waves. This instruction to reduce the intensity of the electromagnetic waves is continued until ID information is no longer received from some of the second IC tags 22. The second control unit 10a sends a movement request to the support unit 5 based on the two-dimensional arrangement of tags that output ID information and tags that do not output ID information. The first control unit 5a moves the moving object 10 in the X and Y directions based on the movement request. Furthermore, after moving the moving object 10, the second control unit 10a again irradiates electromagnetic waves toward the marker 20 and obtains ID information output from each second IC tag 22. By repeating this process a predetermined number of times, the marker 20 and the moving object 10 are aligned.

[0105] As described above, in the second embodiment, there are a plurality of second IC tags 22, and the control units (first control unit 5a, second control unit 10a) align the exterior 9 of the building 1 with the moving body 10 based on the response states of the plurality of second IC tags 22 to the electromagnetic waves output from the second short-range communication unit 12b. As a result, even if errors occur in the distance or direction when the moving body 10 moves, it is possible to eliminate the accumulation of the errors.

[0106] In the second embodiment, the second control unit 10a acquires information corresponding to the two-dimensional code described in the first embodiment from the second IC tag 22 via the second short-range communication unit 12b. A read / write type may be adopted as the second IC tag 22, and the second control unit 10a may write the results of the exterior wall percussion inspection and the results of the damage / stain inspection on the exterior casing 9. In this case, the user can read the second IC tag 22 indoors using, for example, a handheld RFID reader (here, the fifth short-range communication unit 47) to acquire the results of the inspection or survey. Note that a plurality of second IC tags 22 may be provided, and the results of the damage / stain inspection may be written in a distributed manner to the plurality of second IC tags 22.

[0107] As described above, in the second embodiment, the control unit (second control unit 10a) writes information related to the maintenance of the building 1 to the second IC tag 22 or reads it from the second IC tag 22. This makes it possible to carry out maintenance of the building 1 based on the ID information (representative ID information) stored in the second IC tag 22. Furthermore, it becomes possible for the user to easily obtain information related to maintenance.

[0108] (Third embodiment) Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a building maintenance system S1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In the first and second embodiments, a first control unit 5a and a drive unit 5d are provided on a support unit 5 arranged on the rooftop 4 of a building 1, and the first control unit 5a, a second control unit 10a of a mobile object 10, and a server control unit 30a work together to control the building maintenance system S1 (see Fig. 4, etc.). On the other hand, the third embodiment differs in that the functions of the first control unit 5a are integrated into the second control unit 10a of the mobile object 10, and the mobile object 10 is further provided with a third drive unit 10f.

[0109] The moving body 10 is suspended from the support unit 5 by wires 8 (see FIG. 1) or the like, and the moving body 10 moves up and down by driving the third drive unit 10f. The task of moving the moving body 10 in the Y direction (see FIG. 3) is performed, for example, by a user. The support unit 5 is composed of a communication unit 5b and a fourth short-range communication unit 5e. The second control unit 10a decodes image data (here, a two-dimensional code) acquired by the marker detection unit 12 and transmits ID information to the support unit 5. The communication unit 5b transmits the received ID information to the server 30 and transmits maintenance-related information received from the server 30 to the moving body 10. As described above, in the third embodiment, the support unit 5 has a function of supporting (suspending) the moving body 10 and a function of acting as a relay point for relaying the transmission and reception of information between the support unit 5 and the third short-range communication unit 10d of the moving body 10 and the server 30. This configuration can significantly reduce the total cost of the building maintenance system S1.

[0110] The third short-range communication unit 10d may be compliant with the WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) standard and connected to the network 50 via a wireless router provided in the building 1. In this case, it is preferable to configure the mobile object 10 to be able to select from multiple wireless routers provided in the building 1 depending on the location of the mobile object 10 (i.e., so that stronger radio wave strength can be obtained). This allows the third short-range communication unit 10d to reliably connect to the network 50 using a WiFi spot with stronger radio wave strength. With this configuration, the communication unit 5b and the fourth short-range communication unit 5e can be omitted from the support unit 5 (i.e., the support unit 5 only needs to have the function of suspending the mobile object 10), further reducing system costs.

[0111] In the third embodiment, the moving body 10 is equipped with a third drive unit 10f, and can be self-propelled by connecting a drive force transmission unit (not shown) such as wheels or caterpillars to the third drive unit 10f. The moving body 10 may be placed on an inclined surface such as a solar panel (not shown; hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "panel") and moved to clean its surface (the side directly exposed to sunlight). Note that if the inclination angle of the inclined surface is small (for example, up to about 20° from the horizontal), the support unit 5 may not be provided. Conversely, if the inclination angle is large, it is preferable to support the moving body 10 by the support unit 5. Alternatively, the moving body 10 may be placed on the ground and moved to clean the back surface of the panel. In this embodiment, the marker 20 is affixed to or printed on the glass surface that constitutes the panel.

[0112] If the panel is a so-called transparent solar power generation panel, the marker 20 may be placed on the back surface, and can be detected from both the front and back sides, as in the first embodiment. As another configuration example, a panel may be constructed in which some power generation cells (e.g., 100 mm x 100 mm) have been removed in advance, and the marker 20 may be placed in the area where the power generation cells have been removed. In this configuration, the marker 20 can also be detected from both the front and back sides. Of course, the marker 20 may be attached to an area on the surface of an opaque panel where no power generation cells were originally placed (e.g., a portion corresponding to the frame of the panel), and this may be detected by the marker detection unit 12. In this case, the front surface of the panel is the target of maintenance. If the marker 20 is attached to the back surface, the back surface can also be the target of maintenance. In this way, the present invention can also function as a solar panel maintenance system.

[0113] The building maintenance system S1 according to the present invention has been described in detail above based on specific embodiments. However, these embodiments are merely illustrative and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, in each embodiment, the mobile object 10 may be suspended from a support unit 5 installed on the rooftop 4. Alternatively, the mobile object 10 may be suspended from a crane or other device placed on the ground outside the building 1, connected to the tip of a movable part of the crane or other device, or may be pushed up by an elevator installed on the ground. The mobile object 10 may also be a drone, eliminating the support unit 5 from its components. Furthermore, all of the functions of the server 30 may be replaced by the support unit 5 or the mobile object 10. That is, the functions of the server control unit 30a and the server storage unit 30b may be integrated into the first control unit 5a and the second control unit 10a, or the functions of the first control unit 5a and the second control unit 10a may be integrated into either one of them.

[0114] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the decoding of the two-dimensional code is performed by the first control unit 5a of the support unit 5, but the decoding may be performed by either the second control unit 10a of the mobile object 10 or the server control unit 30a. Similarly, the analysis of the sound information obtained by the sound collection unit 13 may also be performed by either. Furthermore, the construction of a two-dimensional map may be performed by an information terminal 45 (such as a PC) and transmitted to the server 30. Furthermore, the third short-range communication unit 10d of the mobile object 10 and the fourth short-range communication unit 5e of the support unit 5 may each be configured with a communication module conforming to a wireless communication standard such as LTE, LTE-M, 4G, or 5G, and communication may be performed via the network 50. [Industrial Applicability]

[0115] The building maintenance system S1 of the present invention has a simple configuration, is capable of grasping the positional relationship between the exterior 9 of the building 1 and the mobile body 10, and moving the mobile body 10, and is also capable of setting the range of the area R in which the functional unit 11 mounted on the mobile body 10 will perform maintenance, or the work content, and therefore can be widely used in maintenance of the building 1, such as cleaning the windows 3 of the building 1, washing the walls 2, tapping inspection of the exterior walls of the building 1, painting the walls 2 and tanks, etc., and visual inspection of the exterior 9, as well as maintenance of solar panels, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 1 Building 2 wall 3 Window section 5 Support part 5a First control section 9 Exterior 10 Mobile 10a Second control section 10f Third drive unit 11 Functional section 12 Marker detection unit 12a Imaging unit 20 markers 21 The first IC tag 22 The second IC tag 30 servers 30a Server control unit 45 Information terminal S1 Building Maintenance System

Claims

1. a moving body that moves relative to the exterior of the building; a functional unit provided on the moving body and performing a predetermined task; A marker provided on the building in a manner that can be detected from outside the building; a marker detection unit provided in the moving body and configured to detect the marker; A control unit; Equipped with A building maintenance system characterized in that the control unit moves the moving body based on the detection results of the marker by the marker detection unit, and uses the functional unit to perform specified maintenance on the exterior of the building.

2. 2. The building maintenance system according to claim 1, wherein the marker is placed inside the building at a window of the building.

3. The control unit The building maintenance system described in claim 1, characterized in that the mobile body obtains location information of the area where maintenance will next be performed based on the output of the marker detection unit, and moves the mobile body based on the location information.

4. The control unit The building maintenance system described in claim 3, characterized in that the range in which the maintenance is to be performed by the functional unit or the content of the maintenance to be performed by the functional unit is obtained based on the output of the marker detection unit.

5. the marker has a two-dimensional code that can be detected from outside the building at a window of the building, the marker detection unit is composed of an imaging unit, The building maintenance system according to claim 3 , wherein the control unit acquires information relating to the movement of the moving object based on the result of capturing an image of the marker by the imaging unit.

6. The building maintenance system described in claim 5, characterized in that the control unit, after moving the moving body, aligns the exterior of the building with the moving body based on the image captured by the imaging unit.

7. The building maintenance system according to claim 5 , wherein the marker further comprises a two-dimensional code that can be detected from inside the building.

8. the moving object includes a first short-range communication unit, a first IC tag is placed inside the building at a window portion of the building; The control unit 6. The building maintenance system according to claim 5, wherein information relating to the maintenance of the building is written to or read from the first IC tag.

9. The marker is configured by a second IC tag, the marker is provided at a window of the building so as to be able to communicate with the outside of the building, the marker detection unit is configured with a second short-range communication unit, The control unit The building maintenance system according to claim 3, characterized in that information relating to the movement of the mobile object is obtained based on the output of the second short-range communication unit.

10. The second IC tag is a plurality of tags, The control unit The building maintenance system described in claim 9, characterized in that alignment of the exterior of the building with the moving body is performed based on the response status of multiple second IC tags to electromagnetic waves output from the second short-range communication unit.

11. The control unit 11. The building maintenance system according to claim 10, wherein information relating to the maintenance of the building is written to or read from the second IC tag.

12. The functional unit includes: A building maintenance system as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one of the following tasks is performed: cleaning the windows of the building, washing the walls, tapping inspection of the exterior walls, painting the walls, and inspecting the exterior for damage / stains.

13. a functional unit that performs a predetermined task on a moving body that moves relatively to the exterior of the building; a marker is provided on the building in a manner that can be detected from outside the building; the marker is disposed inside the building at a window of the building; the moving body is provided with a marker detection unit that detects the marker; A building maintenance method characterized by moving the moving body based on the detection result of the marker by the marker detection unit, and performing specified maintenance on the exterior of the building using the functional unit.

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